Vote on Emerson Hough among action items for NCSD board

When the Newton Community School District board voted to close Emerson Hough Elementary on March 22, 2010, there were tears.

Almost five years later, the board is set to vote on reversing that process and returning the Emerson Hough to a regular elementary school. The agenda for Monday night’s 6:30 p.m. board meeting — fittingly, to be held in the Emerson Hough conference room — includes an action item called “Consider Approval for Utilization of the Emerson Hough Educational Facility.”

The Hough building is currently home to several school district elements that are not a part of regular district classes or grades. The Basics & Beyond Program, administration offices and preschool are all currently in the building, which served as a regular school from its opening day in 1926, until the end of the 2009-10 school year.

The listing of Emerson Hough as an action item comes after months of discussion about possibly reconfiguring the district for what would be the second time in less than 10 years. The district’s overall enrollment has dipped in the past 10 years, and went from 2,877 students in October of 2013 to 2,813 in October of 2014.

The Emerson Hough building is listed as a “discussion/action” item on the agenda, with “action” in bold type. Also on the agenda as discussion/action are “Consider Potential Building Reconfiguration Options,” and “Consider District Direction for Resolution of the Berg Complex Facility Issues,” with the word “discussion” in bold type on both items.

Reconfiguration, the calendar and options for Berg, were also on the agenda for Thursday night’s School Improvement Advisory Committee meeting as discussion items. SIAC was set to emerge with recommendations on both the Berg and reconfiguration issues.

Newton Superintendent Bob Callaghan and others have presented tons of data over the past several months, including results from teacher and parent reconfiguration surveys.

Other action items on Monday’s agenda include a second reading of the district’s wellness policy, the School Budget Review Committee’s request for modified allowable growth for drop-out prevention, and an agreement with the Central College Student Teaching program.

Another item up for discussion is the direction and priorities for the 2015-16 district calendar. Planning for 2015-16 became more challenging for many Iowa districts Dec. 1 when the Iowa Department of Education announced it will no longer automatically grant waivers of the school start date of Sept. 1.

While it’s unclear what action, if any, the state legislature will take on this issue in the weeks ahead, many districts are anticipating having to plan around a Sept. 1 start date.

Callaghan’s superintendent report is scheduled to include and update on property purchases. The Jan. 26 regular board meeting will be Berg Elementary.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com